Watkins to raise money for his local community

LUKE Watkins and Paddy Fitzpatrick are planning to raise funds for a local community project ahead of their September 20 professional debut.

The new scheme called ‘Duke’s Giveback’ is looking to raise as much money as possible for a local project by raffling off a pair of tickets for Watkins’ debut bout on the undercard of George’s Groves’ comeback fight against Christopher Rebrasse at Wembley Arena.

And cruiserweight Watkins’ trainer Fitzpatrick, who also has Garvey Kelly - whose scheme will be called Garvey’s Cause - turning professional in the autumn too, is keen to get the local community behind his fighters.

“You need the community behind them if you are going to move forward,” Fitzpatrick said. “You could be the best dude in the world, but if you aren’t loved in your own town then you are going to struggle.

“What we are going to try and do is give something back to the community, because to receive love you have to give love.

“So before every one of these guys pro fights, we are going to do a collection, it be a sparring day, it could be a run where everyone joins in, it could be a parachute jump - it could be anything.

“But we are going to do some form of sponsorship before every fight to raise a few hundred pounds or as much as we can.

“Then everyone can go on social media to say who they think, within Swindon, should get that money and why.

“We pick out a winner, and then make sure that they are legit, and that money will go to them.”

Tickets for the raffle will be available from Fitzpatrick’s Gym from Friday costing £5 and all proceeds raised will go to Duke’s Giveback.

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The raffle draw will be made during fight week and there will also be signed memorablia from Groves and Watkins offered as prizes.

Anyone wishing to nominate a worthy cause should contact Fitzpatrick or Watkins via Twitter, @paddyboxing and @LukeyBoyWatkins, or visit www.fitzpatricksboxinggym.com.

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